Fans are excitedly anticipating The Elder Scrolls 6, which will come out more than ten years after The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Even though we’ve had to wait a long time, all signs point to the next game in Bethesda’s famous RPG series not being that different from the ones that came before it. That could be just what the franchise needs.
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Why Reinvent the Wheel?
Skyrim altered the way open-world RPGs are made 14 years ago, and people are still excited for The Elder Scrolls 6. But based on leaks from the industry, official pronouncements, and Bethesda’s recent production patterns, it looks like the next game will stick to the tried-and-true Elder Scrolls model.
Bethesda is not switching to Unreal Engine 5 to make The Elder Scrolls 6. Instead, they are using Creation Engine 2, which is a better version of the engine used to make Skyrim and Fallout 4. This may seem like a constraint, but it really shows how committed the studio is to its roots. The familiar engine structure makes it easier to support mods, which is one of the main reasons Elder Scrolls games have been so popular for so long.
The Skyrim and Oblivion Blueprints Still Work
Bethesda knows that millions of players still love the basic structure of Skyrim and Oblivion. Not many games try to make such big, open-ended, story-rich experiences because they are so big and complicated. Few developers have mastered the art of letting players explore huge worlds, get lost in side missions that never end, and have moments of gameplay that come out of nowhere.
The Elder Scrolls Online may have more material in terms of sheer volume, but it hasn’t been able to keep players interested at the same level. One big cause is modding. Single-player Elder Scrolls games, on the other hand, let you change almost everything about them. The modding community has kept Skyrim alive and well for more than ten years by turning it into everything from a rigorous survival game to a fantasy version of The Witcher.
If Bethesda wants The Elder Scrolls 6 to last as long as the others, they need to put modder support first. Fortunately, it looks like the Creation Engine 2 was made to accomplish just that.
Starfield: A Cautionary Tale
Bethesda’s recent attempt to break new ground with Starfield is a good example of what not to do. Starfield used procedural generation to make a huge galaxy of possibilities, but the game seemed empty and repetitive instead. There was no feeling of wonder or discovery that made Skyrim so great.
Skyrim was a success due to its hand-made world, which had secret tunnels, changing NPC interactions, and stories that came out of nowhere. Starfield didn’t have the personal touch, which reminded fans that Bethesda’s real skill is in making meticulously crafted experiences, not in making material at random.
Because of this, it’s quite doubtful that procedural generation will be used in The Elder Scrolls 6. Instead, we can look forward to a world that is more carefully designed and immersive, with every town, dungeon, and path made with care.
Visual Upgrades Without Compromising Flexibility
Even while The Elder Scrolls 6 won’t be made with Unreal Engine 5, that doesn’t mean it won’t look better with modern graphics. Bethesda might add some parts of UE5—or at least copy its graphical strengths—on top of the Creation Engine 2. This mix of methods might make the game look great while still being easy to tweak.
Bethesda knows how important aesthetics are because Oblivion Remastered was a hit, and mod-driven visual updates are still popular. They don’t want to shut off the player community that improves their games long after they come out.
Final Thoughts
Some fans may have wanted The Elder Scrolls 6 to change the series forever, but Bethesda doesn’t need to accomplish that. The secret that made Skyrim and Oblivion great still works. The most important thing is to give players a rich, immersive, and moddable experience that makes them want to explore, be creative, and play again.
In a market where trends change quickly and experiments are quickly forgotten, Bethesda might be making the most daring choice by sticking with what works.
